Attempts to curb free speech in the name of protecting minority rights is predicated on the idea political power will always be on the side of protecting minorities. As soon as public opinion, courts and politicians move away from sympathizing with a minority viewpoint – or at least allowing it a voice – that minority will find itself banned, outlawed and silenced unless the culture has in place a robust respect for dissent and the free expression of minority viewpoints.

Those who would limit free speech make the dangerous assumption government, the media and majority opinion will always be fairly moderate and open-minded and will always side with “good” as defined by those looking to limit speech.

What’s funny is that a colleague of mine who smokes actually argues the other side. But as a non-smoker I am utterly skeptical of the health risks associated with brief exposure to second-hand smoke. I don’t think for a moment having someone smoking 20 feet away from me hurts me, nor do I feel the need to scowl when a pedestrian ahead of me on the sidewalk lights up. Yes, I can smell it, yes cigarettes are bad for you, and yes, the people who make cigarettes are unscrupulous.

But it’s a smell and it’s a bit of smoke. Just think of it as a miniature mouth campfire.

Not that familiar with them, so I’ll hold back on a total endorsement. But as regular readers will know, government secrecy drives me nuts. It’s so transparently an attempt to hide from public criticism and so obviously the opposite of what good government should be.

Parents should be looking for ways to contribute to their child’s school. Sometimes that will mean contributing resources that cost money, sometimes it will mean volunteering. What I fear, though, is that our rules-laden education system (lots of bureaucracy, vocal unions) would severely limit the ways in which parents could help. My guess is unions and administrators would be very touchy about protecting their turf, and fearful that parents doing work for free would reduce the number of people getting paid in the system.

They’re probably right, too, but I think that’s a good thing. One of the ways we can reduce budgets, a little anyway, is by parents embracing a bigger role in the education of their children. It’s not always possible, of course. But surely the schools teaching our own kids should be on any parent's shortlist of worthy charity causes?

I’d say the case for ETs gets stronger and stronger every day. Jason Rowe, a Canadian scientist based at a NASA research centre: “When you want to ask about the implications for life out there, your mind just wanders toward, it’s got to be true.” (source: Maclean’s).